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Microsoft 365 data security: Best Ways to boost protection

Microsoft 365 data security: Best Ways to boost protection

Microsoft 365 has become an incredibly popular choice for enterprises of all sizes looking for a comprehensive set of tools for staying productive and secure. But as with using any software, it is important to take steps to protect your data. In this article, we will discuss seven ways to boost data protection in Microsoft 365. We will also provide tips on how businesses and employees can stay safe online.

Train everyone on email best practices.

Email can contain malicious attacks cloaked as harmless communications. Email systems are especially vulnerable, because email is handled by everyone in the organization, and safety relies on humans making consistently good decisions with those communications. Train everyone to know what to watch for spam or junk mail, phishing attempts, spoofing, and malware in their email.

Secure mobile devices

It’s common for employees nowadays to use personal smartphones or computers to access their work email, calendar, contacts, and documents, especially if they’re working remotely. This is why securing employee-owned devices should be a critical part of protecting your organization’s data.

Installing mobile device management features for Microsoft 365 enables you to manage security policies and access permissions/restrictions, and remotely wipe sensitive data from mobile devices if they’re lost or stolen.

Use multifactor authentication

Using only a password to protect your Microsoft 365 accounts could lead to account hijacking, which could put your data at risk of being compromised. Enable multifactor authentication (MFA) so that users will be required to supply additional credentials on top of a password before they can access their accounts.

MFA makes it difficult for hackers to access your accounts since they not only have to guess user passwords, but they also need to provide a second authentication factor like a one-time SMS code or a fingerprint scan.

Apply session timeouts

Many employees usually forget to log out of their Microsoft 365 accounts and keep their computers or mobile devices unlocked. This could give unauthorized users unfettered access to company accounts, allowing them to steal sensitive data.

By applying session timeouts to Microsoft 365 accounts, email accounts, and internal networks, users will be automatically logged out after a period of inactivity. This can prevent hackers from taking over users’ devices and accessing private information.

Set sharing settings for SharePoint and OneDrive files and folders.

Your default sharing levels for SharePoint and OneDrive might be set to a more permissive level than you should use. We recommend reviewing and if necessary, changing the default settings to better protect your business. Grant people only the access they need to do their jobs.

Encrypt emails

Encrypting classified information is your last line of defense against data breaches. If hackers intercept your emails, encryption tools will make files unreadable to unauthorized recipients. This is a must-have for Microsoft 365, where files and emails are shared on a regular basis.

Use Microsoft 365 Apps on devices.

Outlook and Microsoft 365 Apps (also referred to as Office apps) enable people to work productively and more securely across devices. Whether you're using the web or desktop version of an app, you can start a document on one device, and pick it up later on another device. Instead of sending files as email attachments, you can share links to documents that are stored in SharePoint or OneDrive.

Maintain your environment.

After your initial setup and configuration of Microsoft 365 for business is complete, your organization needs a maintenance and operations plan. As employees come and go, you'll need to add or remove users, reset passwords, and maybe even reset devices to factory settings. You'll also want to make sure people have only the access they need to do their jobs.

Contact Beringer Today!

Partner with us to ensure your organization’s Microsoft 365 accounts are always secure and compliant with changing data security requirements. Reach out to Beringer Technology Group today. We can help evaluate your current cybersecurity posture with our Cyber Security Risk Assessment Solution, and implement the right security solutions for your organization.

Beringer Technology Group, a leading Microsoft Gold Certified Partner specializing in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and CRM for Distribution also provides expert Managed IT ServicesBackup and Disaster RecoveryCloud Based Computing, Email Security Implementation and Training,  Unified Communication Solutions, and Cybersecurity Risk Assessment.


theProfessor

theProfessor

Rob is the CTO of Beringer Technology Group, and focuses his efforts on software development, cloud engineering, team mentoring and strategic technical direction. Rob has worked with Beringer since 2005, and has influenced every department from Development, Security, Implementation, Support and Sales. Rob graduated with his MBA from Rowan University in 2012, earned his Bachelors of Computer Science in 1997, and is current with several Microsoft technical certifications. Rob is very active, and loves to mountain bike, weight train, cook and hike with his dog pack.